HAMILTON, ON – The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra is excited to announce new digital content plans to engage our musicians and patrons during the remainder of our 19-20 season.

Beginning April 22, HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte hosts a limited series of weekly Facebook Live interviews with musicians and members of the HPO community aptly named Get to Know the HPO. These interviews will air live every Wednesday at noon on the HPO Facebook page beginning with horn player and Personnel Manager Neil Spaulding and will later be viewable on the HPO YouTube channel. Audience members can submit questions in advance through the HPO weekly newsletter and HPO social channels, or can submit questions live during the interview. Other musicians featured in this series will be Associate Concertmaster Lance Ouellette and Principal Horn Jessie Brooks.

On May 2, the HPO will host its first-ever Living Room Community Recital, which offers musicians in the community the opportunity to share performances from their home in a welcoming environment. Musicians of any age or skill level are invited to capture a video recording performing on their instrument while at home. Videos submitted to the HPO will be compiled into a YouTube playlist to be shared through HPO social media channels on May 2, the day of the recital. This digital recital takes place in lieu of the HPO’s annual Community Recital event, which was also scheduled for May 2. Musicians must register at the HPO website and submit a video by April 30.

Several HPO musicians have produced or are currently working on digital projects which will be shared on social media channels and the HPO at Home page on staginghpo.wpengine.com. Content already available includes Ouellette’s performance of his own arrangement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for violin and loop pedal; second violin Elizabeth Lowen-Andrews and cello Laura Jones Bach collaboration; and longtime HPO timpanist Jean Norman ladeluca’s demonstration of one of his favourite hobbies.

“We feel this is a fantastic opportunity for our audience to get to know our musicians as they speak to us from their own homes,” says Interim Executive Director Kim Varian, “Music making from home is especially inspiring during this time. We are thrilled by how many HPO musicians will be participating, as well as the interest community musicians have taken in the Living Room Community Recital.”

Patrons can stay up to date with all HPO at Home activities by subscribing to our weekly eNewsletter at staginghpo.wpengine.com and following our social media channels.

Twitter: @H_P_O
Facebook: facebook.com/HamiltonPhilharmonic/
YouTube: youtube.com/HamiltonPhilharmonic

About the HPO: The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1884 as The Hamilton Orchestral Society and grew to become one of Canada’s major professional orchestras. Today, the HPO is a leader in Hamilton’s robust arts community where it provides professional orchestral services and music education programs to address the needs of the community. The HPO continues to commission and premiere works and is one of the artistic jewels of the Hamilton area. The combined musical talents of its artists continue to enrich the community and enhance the quality of life for its residents.

Media Contacts:

Christina Volpini
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
905.526.1677 x226
cvolpini@hpo.org

Megan Nourse
Communications and Outreach Assistant
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
905.526.1677 x211
mnourse@hpo.org